One man critical in ICU after chopper with five on board crashes near Waiouru

Thursday, 14 June 2018

The Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter Service along with Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter and Greenlea Rescue Helicopter responded to Ngamatea Station in the Kaweka Ranges to a helicopter crash on Thursday morning.

One man in his 40s is in a critical condition after a commercial helicopter with five men on board crashed near Waiouru.

Another man in his 30s is in a serious condition while a third man in his 30s is in a serious but stable condition.

A Hawke's Bay rescue helicopter is one of three rescue choppers responding to a chopper crash near Waiouru. (File photo)

Two other men were assessed by St John Ambulance paramedics after they were flown by rescue helicopter to Hastings' Bridge Pa airport but did not need hospital treatment.

The crash happened shortly before 9am on Thursday on private land in the Kaweka Ranges – about 35 kilometres northeast of Waiouru.

The crash happened in a remote area near Waiouru, which is on the southern side of the Desert Road. (File photo)

A distress beacon from the helicopter put the location of the crash at the Oturua Stream, search and rescue mission co-ordinator Dave Wilson said.

The helicopter had been doing a commercial survey operation in the area, and another helicopter from the same company was able to reach the scene quickly, to report on what had happened, before the first rescue crews arrived, he said.

The helicopter went down in steep hilly and tussock-clad land, a long way from roads, said Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter pilot Lance Burns, who flew one of the injured men to hospital.

Rescue helicopters from Taupo and Hastings also went to the scene and each flew one injured man. All three were taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital in Hastings.

Two other men from the crash were picked up from the scene by another helicopter owned by the company that the crashed helicopter belongs to.

A spokesman for the Transport Accident Investigation Commission said three investigators had been sent to the crash site and were due to arrive on Friday morning.

Chief investigator of accidents Captain Tim Burfoot said the crash involved a Hughes MD600N helicopter.

'The helicopter was on a commercial operation with five people on board when it crashed,' he said.

The helicopter had been extensively damaged.

Lakeview Helicopters pilot Brad Williams, who operates commercial and tourist flights from Taupo, said those involved in the industry were keeping in contact and were anxious to find out what had happened.

'It's a bit of a close community, the aviation community – it's supportive. I've had a few phone calls in the last hour.

'In this region they are all very experienced pilots – they know how to deal with things. It's unfortunate.'